Being me is pretty special REDONE
by randomwriter94
Summary: So I wrote this story a long time ago and put it on here but I am redoing it and fixing it up, then I will work on it's sequal. I don't think anyone really wanted Zane to die. So what if he hadn't? Check it out and review!
1. Tallywa

**Chapter 1**

Tally's POV

I stood on the _deluxe_-hover board feet spread, hands at my sides I had perfect balance. Yes I was a special made to protect everyone from the smokies. I had once wanted to help the smokes when Zane had died I had even joined them for sometime but I knew what I truly was. I was and I loved who I was, I was special and NOTHING would ever change that. I was the prettiest pretty; more perfect then any other. Fortunately I was aloud to live like a pretty, which I enjoyed, I mean who wouldn't want to sleep all day and party all night. I hung with the crims and led them. Everyone knew me being the leader is exactly what Zane would have wanted. Zane… I hated thinking about him, no matter how hard I tried it was never easier. The only thing I hated was what they had done to me. They had made me less… scary I guess you could say. My appearance was more of a pretties appearance but I still had all the power, reflexes, strength, and speed of any special. They had actually made us smarter and stronger then we use to be. The doctors said that the smokies had acquired things like hover boards and guns so we had to be more prepared. Besides that they did tests on us and trained us, making sure we were at the best of our ability all the time. Every boy in pretty town fell head over heels for me when they saw my…perfection, and I knew it. Okay, okay I know I sound like I'm getting carried away, as much as I love being perfect there was people I missed. Shay for instance, she had joined the smoke leaving me in a new pretty town, as well as… I pushed him out of my mind. I usually tried to keep the thought of his name out of my head because it would just bring terrible memories of the rebellious days. I had been young and in love.

"Tally-wa" I got a ping in my head. The new operations gave pretties the ability to ping each other in their head.

"Hey Peris!" I exclaimed. He had been my best friend since back in the Ugly days and now, especially without Shay here, him and I were nearly inseparable.

"I'm coming up on your right." He said. I looked still keeping perfect balance and smiled as he reached me. I was one of the few people in pretty town who had a deluxe board, thanks to my status, so I had to slow down for the sake of his old one.

"Thanks." He said. "So where have you been all morning? The crims have been looking for you."

"Yeah, sorry I had testing." I replied. As much as I loved being in the crims, they weren't as important to me as they use to be. Back in the days of… well back in the old day I use to depend on doing criminal things, it felt good to rebel against the system. Now I found being a crim less important because I knew the "system," meaning the doctors who ran the town, didn't care when or what we did so it wasn't really criminal at all. I kept trying to come up with things that would cause a reaction from them, but I knew the fact that I was a special would get me out of any trouble that I could get into.

"More testing?" Peris asked, "Didn't you just go in their like two days ago. Seriously that is so not bubbly making!" He growled.

"Yeah I know but it was just something I had to do." I loved Peris, he was great, but he didn't get that I had a job. I couldn't just avoid my obligations so I could prance around with the Crims.

"C'mon I'll race you around the grid!" I told him with a laugh and shot off.

"So unfair Tally-wa I can't go as fast as you." I heard him complaining behind me. Good old Peris.

"Tally we think there is going to be a break in on a party tonight. It will be at Komachi!" I got a ping and was surprised considering that Komachi was where I lived. I looked at the sky and saw the sun going down; as soon as it was dark parties would begin.

"Alright," I replied as I turned the corner on the grid. The deluxe could go off the grid but that would be unfair to Peris and I knew he would find it EXTREMELY unbubbly.

"You need to report now!" The doctor replied.

"On my way." I replied and then pinged Peris to let him know.


	2. Zane?

**Chapter 2**

Tally's POV

Rane and I headed of to Kimochi together. She was a crim, special, and one of my best friends. They didn't expect it to be a big break in because the smokies had just come in a few weeks before and they usually hit big when they hadn't come around in a while.

"So do you think D… that guy will stop in to see you again?" Rane asked. She knew I didn't like to hear "that guy's" real name and so we both avoided using it.

"Probably not but who knows. He keeps trying to get me back to the smoke. If he wanted to see me so bad he should just come here. I mean seriousl,y who WOULDN'T want to be pretty or _special_?" I said with a grin. "I mean after all they've done I am SURE the doctors would change them into one of _us_!"

"I know seriously but they just don't get how amazing it is to be a special!" Rane replied. We reached the mansion and walked inside. It was a costume party as usual those were the kind that the smokies usually went to.

"Tally-wa! You're here! I expected you'd be going to party at Valentino mansion that's where most people have gone." Brim came up, smiled at me, and gave me a hug. He already smelled pretty awful and it was only the first hour of the party.

"Well you know how I hate semi-formal parties!" I told him which was so true. I mean what was the definition of semi-formal anyways.

"Tally I think I see something." I saw a black cape, which was the sign of a smokey, and I began to follow. I made my way easily through the crowd. They quickly got out of the way for me because they new that I could permanently damage there pretty faces. Okay maybe not permanently, because nothing here was permanent, but I could do them a lot of harm that was for sure. He ran down a stairwell and into another room full of people.

"Tally it's a decoy." Kayden's voice popped into my head. He had stayed back with the doctors but I wondered why he was telling me it was a decoy.

"Huge hit at Valentino mansion! All Specials are heading there, NOW, and bring Rane." He said urgently.

"We're on our way!" I said turning around and running at an inhumanly fast speed up the stairs.

"Rane c'mon it was a decoy." I said grabbing her arm. When I turned the person around I found to my horror it was not Rane. From the back the person had looked like Rane but it most definitely wasn't her. In my rush to get out of there I had grabbed a pretty but not any pretty, it was Shay. My jaw dropped and I took a deep breath.

"Tally!" She said with a smile.

"NO!" I replied knowing what she was going to say. I bolted off and pinged the real Rane.

"It wasn't "the guy" this time." I told her.

"WHAT? Who was it?" She asked worried.

"Shay. Now come on we need to go to Valentino."

"I'm sorry Tally."

"I'm not!" I replied, "Shay made a stupid choice and if she wants to be taken down with the rest of the smokies she can." I suddenly realized my stupid mistake. She was standing right there and all I had done was storm off. I didn't even think to grab her and take her back to head quarters, but that would be one thing I would not tell ANYONE. Specials didn't make mistakes. I ran as fast as I could, which was much faster the any hover board could go, and reached the Mansion. There was already a commotion inside. Things had been handed out all over the place but I could see a horrified pretty come running towards me.

"Someone gave me this." She handed me a package and of course I knew what it was.

"Where are they now?" I asked.

"They headed that way." She pointed out the back door.

"Seal all this off!" I pinged the others, "Rane, Joel, come help me." I ran out the back door and grabbed my hover board. I knew they would be on theirs and my best bet to catching them would be taking my own. I grabbed a deluxe and flew off with Rane and Joel right behind me. I saw a smokey in front of me and immediately KNEW whom I was chasing.

"Give it up Shay." I told her. "There is no way you will make it." I saw her glance back at me and she started to loose her balance. I urged my board forward and jumped on to Shay's both of us falling to the ground. I knew now it was over for her. I was much stronger, faster, and had better more acute senses.

"Tally…" She said breathing heavily as I leaned over her holding her on the ground.

"Shay it's over. Come back to us." I said looking at her perfect special face.

"Please Shay." I whispered. She looked at me and dropped her gaze.

"Tally, remember why we went to the smoke in the first place?" She asked me. I shrugged

"We were young and immature Shay. It's perfect here we're perfect. Come back and help us, not them. What are you guys even doing? The pretties will never take the lesion eaters. It's how Zane died, so why would you want to do that to the pretties? You want to kill people?"

"Right," Shay whispered, I think she understood. Suddenly another board passed overhead and hover cars surrounded us ready to take Shay away.

"You'll be one of us soon!" I said she nodded allowing them to yank her to her feet and drag her into the hover car. I jumped on my board that had landed a few yards back. Watching Shay shoved in to the back of the hover car was hard… harder then I had expected and I wasn't sure why. I knew it was right for her to be turned back in to one of us, it must be right. I flew back to the mansion and looked at the commotion that was still going on. Every special was there, the smokies had hit bigger then we expected and I had a feeling at least one or more had taken the pills. I saw more boards flying up and I assumed they were more specials. Suddenly I stopped in mid air, shocked at what… no, who I saw. A perfect special with swirling tattoos on the side of his face, the calligraphy black ink hair still the same as before. His eyes were the same brown with bits of gold, and his jaw sharper, stronger, and more defined then that of any others. I thought I was dreaming and my head began to spin. This couldn't be real. For a second I felt so human until I was pulled back in to reality.

"Tally-wa we need you." Mckinzie flew up to me but I didn't turned to look at her, or even blink an eye. The specials body turned toward me and suddenly, for the briefest moment our eyes met. It was Zane… Zane was a live!


	3. What to do?

**Chapter 3**

Tally's POV

I couldn't believe Zane was alive! I thought back to that morning after the war in Diego. I felt like I had nothing to live for anymore. That is what made me come back to serve my duty as a special, I needed a purpose. They were going to outlaw specials and had tried to despecialize all of us. Fortunately they hadn't been able to change me back so instead they decided to make us stronger. They wanted to make sure there would be no more rogue specials to make mistakes, like I had once done.

"Tally, are you ok?" I was woken up to a ping from Rane. I moaned, yawned, and rolled out of bed. The night's events had caught up with me and when I looked at the clock I realized it was four in the afternoon.

"Hey Raney, sorry I was sleeping. Want to come to my room?." I pinged back.

"I'm already on my way." She said, and a moment later the short blond opened my door.

"Hey," I said yawning again and pinging the food-bots to bring us some food.

"You slept in late!" Rane was surprised. It was true, I usually never slept this late because I usually wasn't physically ABLE to sleep this late.

"I kept waking up last night and I didn't fall asleep till like seven this morning."

"What is going on with you?" She asked me and I just shrugged,

"Nothing, last night was just tiring." I lied. I suddenly saw that image of Zane. He had a swirling tattoo on the side of his face and his already strong sharp features seemed stronger and better then ever. A food-bot came in a moment later carrying a tray full of muffins, pancakes, eggs and every other breakfast food you could think of. They didn't give us calorie purgers because the doctors said taking them would reduce our health and strength, but I still took them on occasion. There was something about them that gave me such a moment of strength and made my thoughts completely icy clear. I knew we didn't have lesions in our brains (they didn't put them in specials) but still, calorie purgers did something strange to you. I grabbed a muffin and began nibbling at the edges trying not to look like a pig even though I was starving.

"Haha you don't have to worry about looking bad in front of me." Rane said, practically reading my mind. I laughed and began taking larger bites of the food.

"So what happened last night Tally-wa?" She asked, "I mean you were all strong and then suddenly you became very distant an odd. I know catching Shay was hard on you, but was that it?" She prodded me with questions. I wasn't sure if I should tell her, would it seem as though I was to emotional about the situation. She knew I had thought I was in love, and she knew I had watched him "die." Finally, I gave in.

"Catching Shay-la was hard for me," I admitted "I just hope they don't hurt her after she caused so much trouble for them." I sighed. "But the truth Rane-la was it was much more then that." She raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"What happened?"

"Well after coming back from getting Shay I was on the hover board and had just made it back to Valentino… then I saw someone."

"Was it David?" She asked knowing there had been trouble with him in the past.

"It was much worse Rane… well actually much better but… I don't know." I was confused.

"Wow, Tally-wa what happened? Who was it?"

"It was Zane…" I replied.

"You mean THE Zane, the one that had died in Diego city?"

"Yeah except he wasn't dead and he… he was a special."

"Oh my gosh Tally are you sure you weren't imagining this?"

"Rane-la I know it was him! Our eyes met and I remembered his perfection in his eyes. I just know it was really him but I don't know how it happened."

"Well what are we going to do?" Rane asked in a matter a fact fashion. I thought for several minutes, not eating, just thinking.

"Tonight, I am going to find him!" I finally answered giving her a slight grin and taking another bite of my muffin.


	4. Finding him

**Chapter 4**

**Tally's POV**

I slipped into a sneak suit (something useful when you were going to do what I was about to do.) I was just covering my bases. Just maybe they were keeping him in the actual Doctors building. It was the most fancy building, where all the Doctors lived and did special secret projects; even specials weren't a loud in there, ut since Zane had been gone so long…

"Tally-wa?" Rane ran into my room. We hadn't been pinging each other at all about my plan. I was fearful the city interface would see the messages. The city interface was something that controlled and watched over every ugly, pretty, and specials move, ping, and ever other thing they did. I took off my interface ring and hung it on a food bot. I would program the thing to move around my room so it looked like I was moving around my room even though I was gone. You would think, Specials could do what ever we want, which we mostly did, but there were some stuff we could get despecialized for.

"Are you ready?" I asked her. She nodded taking a deep breath. I could see the swirling design on her face speed up. It showed the speed of her heart rate, which was fast!

"I'm ready, but listen Rane-la you don't HAVE to do this." I reminded her.

"I know, but if you get in trouble your going to need back up." She replied with a grin.

"Plus what do crims do?" She laughed, "Maybe usually not this high class but they do pull pranks right?" She is forcing an almost real smile on her face.

"Alright let's go." I grabbed my board (that had been stripped from any interface censors) and dropped it out the window. I turned it on and immediately jerked up stopping in mid air. Climbing onto the board I clicked on my bracelet to help me stay up even if I fell off, which never happened. A moment later Raney was right next to me grinning from the thrill of excitement. We had just free fell 20 stories.

"So I was thinking to start at the doctors building," I told her and took off towards the hospital. I would have to be careful not to be caught by the cameras, the specials on guard duty, or any nurses and doctors working late even though it was four in the morning.

We rode for several minutes in silence, the wind whipping past us as we flew across the city. I remembered all those days as pretties, being a crim, and always pulling off REALLY stupid pranks. Zane and I had been apart of the big ice rink break of 2070 and it had been big news, but now that all seemed stupid. We arrived at the building and I immediately turned on my sneak suit allowing it to morph to my body. I assumed I was blending in with my surroundings.

"How do I look?" I whispered to Rane.

"Good, me?" She asked.

"Fine." I replied and jumped off my board slipping it under some brush near the side of the hospital. I examined the whole layout figuring the best way to get in. All specials had guard duty every once in a while. I had, had it before so I knew the layout fairly well.

"C'mon." I said heading forward and entering the side entrance. It hadn't been guarded very well and obviously the alarms weren't on that entrance, although I wasn't sure why. We slipped down the hallway and in to a stairwell, where we began running. We had made it nearly to the top when suddenly we heard voices as if someone was walking down. I looked at Rane and we froze thinking quickly to figure out what we were going to do. I pulled on my stick gloves and jumped over the rail of the staircase. I was now hanging on the side, my hands were the only things keeping me from falling all the way down the thirty-two floors below me. Rane followed suite and we hung there side by side straining our muscles to hold on. Footsteps passed us and continued down the steps. We pulled ourselves back up once the voices had disappeared. I knew we had to hurry to get to the top before we got caught. We were now standing back in the stairwell thinking, what to do next.

"Okay, I've got a plan." I said climbing up to the next floor and walking through a door to the main hallway. We couldn't take the elevator for fear of being caught but I knew what to do. I walked to the elevator acting as calm as possible. Being calm was the best thing to do in this situation. There were about fifty stories in the doctors building where every doctor lived and worked on their secret projects. The elevator doors opened and thankfully no one was inside. We stepped inside and as soon as the doors closed and pushed open the roof latch of the elevator and climbed into its shaft. We were going to reach the top by climbing up the elevator shaft. It would be quick and as long as no elevators came up and squashed us everything would be good. I quickly reapplied my sticky gloves, which I had removed and I jumped onto the wall. The gloves made it possible to grip slippery walls like this shaft. I hurried up to the top with Rane right behind me heading to where all the best projects were kept. I only knew this because I had been once required to guard the area even though I was never actually allowed in. Before I had guarded it, I had stayed on the top level for a bit of time. We got back into the hallway and I knew this was where things got tricky. Time had never been more of the essence. I jogged down to the end of the hallway and glanced around the corner. Seeing it was empty we began down it, peering into every room we could. Mostly they were full of random gadgets and equipment and several had these freaky human animal hybrids in them. Stuff I had NEVER seen before and never wanted to see, but I knew ONE must have Zane. After looking into at least twenty rooms, and finding no one, I turned down another hallway where I heard people talking. Finally, we had found the rooms where people were actually living. We peeked through several and didn't find anyone. Suddenly we heard more footsteps and I saw someone turn the corner. Their eyes grew wide and stared at me.

"Hey what are you doing in here?" He said but we didn't wait around to see anymore. We bolted down the hallway and turned the corner. I heard footsteps but I was faster then any other special, unfortunately Rane wasn't. I wasn't going to leave her to be caught, so we dove into a store closet. We lay there silently. Being special gave us the ability to avoid labored, loud breathing, and we could move with absolutely silent stealth.

"Help me!" I whispered to Rane. She pushed me up to the roof of the closet and I shoved off one of the roof tiles revealing a small crawl space of the air conditioner. I climbed into it and pulled Rane up. I could hear voices below talking about us.

"There are specials in here!" Said one person.

"Are they guards?" Asked another.

"I don't think so, they had sneak suits on." We crawled as quickly as possible, I knew we only had a few minutes. Finally we came to a dead end. All we could do was pull open the vent and drop into a dark bedroom. It was huge and nicely furnished with a large bed, mirror, desk, closet etc… I thought we were fairly safe when suddenly I picked up more footsteps outside the door and a shadow pass by. Thank God they didn't come in. Rane was still waiting above me, I looked up at her.

"Head back." I whispered.

"You sure?" She asks.

"Can you get out safe?"

"Yes." She answers and closes the vent. I knew I was all a lone now and began looking for a hiding place. I glanced at the bed and then at the window. Unfortunately I knew it was the kind of window that would keep people from coming in or out and wouldn't open. Suddenly light from the hallway came flooding in and I froze when I saw that a shadow stood in the doorway. My breath caught in my throat and I nearly choked with shock.

"Tally," He whispered his eyes dark staring at me like daggers, in a way I had never seen before.


	5. Lies

**Chapter 5**

**Tally's POV**

I couldn't BELIEVE Zane. I absolutely couldn't believe him! They got to him… wait what was I saying? He was right, he was totally and absolutely right. They got to me too. I was a special and I was stopping the Rusties. I use to be one of them.

"What is wrong with me?" I asked Rane as we flew silently back to our building.

"Nothing Tally-wa what's gotten into you is the question though? Do you regret being a special?"

"What? No way! I am glad I became a special and I am glad I slipped through when the despecialization was going on."

"Tally you know he has just become one of us and once he gets out and into the game he will be with you again."

"I don't know." I replied thinking of the dagger eyes that had stared at me as we stood in his room. I had literally shoved passed him. Our bodies had been touching and I could feel him tense almost stopping me from going, but he didn't. He let me leave without saying anything more. He use to have sweet warm eyes, his beautiful stare could make me melt, but not anymore. I missed the Zane I once knew. We reached our rooms and I went immediately to bed although the whole night was spent sleepless.

~…~

"Tally! We need to speak with you." I was relaxing in my room when Doctor Cable suddenly pinged me. I slipped out of my pj's and into some really clothes.

"On my way." I replied running out of my room and taking the stairs two at a time. I knew why she needed to see me and although I feared what she was going to say I wanted to get it over with quickly. I reached the HQ and walked in the guards automatically recognizing me. I wasn't worried. I was the best special ever and there was no way she would despecialize me. _This is what crims do_, I thought to myself.

"Tally… have a seat." The doctor said I stepped into her office.

"Did I do something?" I asked playing it cool.

"I'm impressed Tally." She said to my surprise.

"With me?" I asked confused but still trying to seem cool.

"You always did have guts. You know what could be done to you for breaking in to the doctors building?" She asked me.

"Yes I do, why?" I am still acting like I know nothing.

"I like you and I always have, so I am not going to let anything happen to you… this time! But if it ever happens again Tally—"

"I'm unsure what you're getting at." I stare sharply. I wanted to be in control, although I knew the doctor always would be.

"Now, who else was with you?" She asked me.

"With me, where?" I ask

"Tally, I know someone else was with you." Her voice is getting annoyed.

"How?" I asked curious to see how she would reply.

"Za—One of our informants saw you and another girl but h—they would not tell me who the other one was. They said they didn't know her. Was it Rane, Tally? You are with her a lot." I hated the way Doctor Cable talked to me, like I was a three year old. I could snap her in half if I wanted to.

"If I knew what we were talking about I would be able to answer your question." I stuck with my lie.

"Alright then Tally, you may go." She said with an icy edge to her voice. I stood up and walked out with my head held high.

**Shay's POV**

It actually felt good being back. I forgot how wonderful it felt to be working as a special again. They had given me an operation and made me even stronger then I had ever been before. At first I had hated Tally but now I wasn't quite sure why.

"Ready?" Doctor Cable asked me as I stepped into a room. They were putting me through a series of tests to see my abilities. I heard someone walk into the room, as I was about to begin. I turned my head to see whom it was and was shocked at who I saw.

"Go!" The doctor said and I was suddenly forced forward through a series of (rather simple) tests.

~…~

"Shay I'm sure you remember Zane." The doctor said after we had finished the tests. I nodded.

"His time here is almost over, but you both will be finishing training together." She informed me. I was completely confused. I had been there when he had died. I was there as Tally cried and nearly killed those doctors, but here… he was alive.

"Okay," I replied. Not letting it faze me. I hated emotion. She told us she would be right back and then we were there alone.

"You're alive?" I said. It was a totally stupid thing to say but I didn't know what else to do.

"Well I am here aren't I?" He said in an icy voice.

"Does… Tally know?" I asked and he nodded.

"What happened?" I asked him honestly curious.

"I was suppose to die but the only way they could save me was if they… changed me." He told me. His emotions were completely gone, his eyes were dead.

"So you became a special?"

"Sort of, but it's more then that."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I can't talk about it _Shay_ just be glad your with us and you're not with the rusties anymore. Trust me your much better off here." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Zane had never been like this before.

"Uh… ok." We stand there in silence. Zane is looking around at the room and suddenly turns his back to the cameras rocking back and forth on his heels humming an unfamiliar tune.

"Shay please let's be friends. I'm sick of this place too and the last thing I need is you making me feel bad okay?" He said in a whisper, his tone suddenly different. I catch on to his tune and begin humming it as well. I nod and walk around the room. Obviously there was more to him then I thought.

"Listen I don't want to be here. I mean I love being a special but this has never been me so... please?" I nodded as he spoke. Ok now I am really confused what is going on here. One second he is an icy jerk, and the next he is pleading with me.

**Tally's POV**

"Hey Tally," Garren gave me a kiss as I walked into his room. Fausto and Ky were already there.

"Hey," I smiled at him and sank into a squishy chair.

"So I heard about your guys little escapade." He laughed and sat down next to me wrapping his arms around me.

"Wow how'd you hear?" I asked.

"I was sort of a guard that night." He replied with a grin. I know knew why we hade made it in so easily. I forgot he was guarding this week. That would have made my job much easier.

"Hmm, yeah it was pretty pointless." I shrug

"So why did you guys go in there anyways?" He asked me. I suddenly became very uncomfortable. There was no way I could tell him I went in there to see Zane. Everyone knew how series Zane and I _once_ were but now I was with Garren. He was my special and I was his. We were basically made for one another as the doctors liked to say. He was an amazing special and so was I. Although, I would never admit it to him but I was a stronger special.

"Oh um, I dunno we just… were curious." I replied trying to keep my swirl from speeding up with my heartbeat as I lied. I had become fairly good at this.

"Oh." He eyed me making me even more uncomfortable. Time for a diversion, I quickly leaned in and kissed him hard on the lips. Fausto and Ky made puking sounds which made me Garren laugh and the entire mood was lightened.


	6. The Mission

**Chapter 6**

**Tally's POV**

The following days were endless. All I could do was think about Zane. Wherever I was whether with Rane, Garren or anyone else Zane was on my mind. I would have nightmares where his eyes were literally daggers and would pierce me in the heart. I would wake up sweating and nearly in tears. I know STUPID! I am a special I am suppose to be strong but something was happening to me, it was like I was unraveling. So here I am, sitting here on the grass where Zane and I had first sat. We had been talking and I had first taken calorie purgers, making myself feel so extremely bubbly. It's horrible but I was loving reliving those memories.

"Tally" Tessie, one of the other specials walked up and sat next to me.

"Hey Tess." I replied forcing a smile to my lips and trying to relax keeping my swirl at an even pace.

"So Tally-wa, I got the short straw and was the one who had to come talk to you." She was talking metaphorically about the short straw we don't literally pull straws we did that MUCH differently.

"About what?"

"Well you've been a bit… weird lately. What's going on?" She asked.

"Nothing," I replied. "I mean besides the usual, rusty patrol and occasionally crashing an ugly or pretty party."

"Besides that… nothing?" She asked.

"Yeah…nothing" I replied with a smile. I was a pretty good liar.

"Well, if something IS going on you'll tell us right?" She asks rather uncertain.

"Sure," I replied knowing that was a complete and total lie. She nodded and walked away leaving me alone to wallow. Yes that's what I was doing, I was wallowing. I pulled the calorie purger from my pocket and took it. I loved the feeling, something nearly addicting.

~…~

"Listen Tally-wa, you have always been around helping me acclimate to being a special. What ever is going on with you right now I PROMISE it will stay with me and only me… but what IS going on?" Raney asked me as we hovered around the grid.

"You really want to know?" I questioned.

"Yes."

"And it won't get to anyone's ears?"

"No." She replied. I trusted Rane with my life and she wouldn't do anything to get me despecialized.

"Ok… well, I can't stop thinking about Zane. I think about him everyday I miss him and I remember everyday with him like it was yesterday." I take a deep breath. "I know I shouldn't have such emotions but I do. I miss him more then anyone can imagine. Before I saw him I missed him, part of me always felt like it was missing. When I thought of his name I felt like a special had punched me hard in the stomach. Now that he is back it has only gotten worse."

"You still love him?" She asked but I didn't reply. Did I still love him? But I had Garren why would I need Zane?

"Tally, Rane, meet at HQ we are about to leave." I got a ping and at the same time Rane looked at me apparently getting the same one.

"Let's go." We turned our boards and headed to HQ I wondered where we were about to head to. They only sent us messages like that when it was an unannounced meeting and we were preparing for a hit, but they had just hit the night before so I was surprised another one was happening so soon. We weaved easily across the grid and docked our boards outside before walking in to the meeting room.

"Finally, where have you guys been?" Fausto asked with a roll of his eyes.

"Sorry," I mumbled and took a seat. I still had Zane on my mind and it was putting me in a fairly bad mood.

"We have some business to take care of." Dr. Cable briskly walks in to the room. "We have kept some things from you for some time now. Unfortunately I waited to long and we now don't have a lot of time to explain. A group of you are going to be sent out on a… trip." Dr. Cable began. She paused but no one said anything. "I am not sending all of you because we need some of you here at the city keeping the smokes out." There was another pause before she continued. "This trip is to take out every smokey that is now left. We have been preparing for this and that is why the tests have come more frequently. I was hoping we would have more time… but we don't." Her voice sounded almost disturbed. "More will be explained but first I want you to meet the one who will be leading you. He is a new special but don't underestimate him." She looked over to her left at a door and my heart did a back flip as I realized who was about to walk in.

"Most of you know him." She said as Zane stepped into the room. My jaw dropped and all I could do was stare. He was even more beautiful then the last time I saw him. His jaw was sharp and his eyes slightly softer. His arms and body was toned and the muscles were still visible even under his loose shirt. I wanted to cry… wait no I didn't. I was a special we didn't cry, yet some how the emotions in me were running wild.

"He will be leading you on this… mission." She announced. "Kalen, Roy, and Tally will be staying here just incase the smokies are stupid enough to attack the new pretty town." Horror ran through me at the realization that she had said MY name I would be staying behind. Zane would be leading them and I would be stuck HERE. Dr. Cable was obviously trying to get back at me for not giving up Rane. Yeah right! There was no way in hell I would be staying behind to protect no pretty town. I didn't care about the pretties…

"You three can go," Zane glanced at Kalen, Roy, and his eyes lingered slightly longer on me. "The rest of you stay and I will explain what you are going to do." Zane's voice was slick and icy. I didn't move for several moments.

"Tally!" Dr. Cable snapped and I stood up.

**Zane's POV**

"A group of pretties are leaving the town tonight to head to the smoke. It's simple. We will get spray to cover any of our special looks. The important thing is that we appear as though we are pretties." I said. The plan was easy enough as long as everything went as planned. I glanced out the conference room window and saw Tally walking out of the building. I use to love her, I couldn't believe I had once loved _her_! She was smart, a good crim, we had a lot in common until I got sick. When I was sick she always treated me differently. I had tried to ignore it but she looked at me like I was weak. I had been dying and I was weak but she treated me like I was an ugly again. Those months of training when I was special made me realize it had been stupid and foolish to love her, and now I was the most powerful Special. I was stronger then any other, and what was she? She was like the ugly now, she was the weak one! She could no longer look down at me; she could only look at me with fear at the realization that she no longer held the power. I did.

"We leave tonight so be ready. The pretties that are going are Sadie, Aria, Dustin, Anna, and Peris." I scoffed at the last name. I doubted he would actually go through with it. Last time he had wanted to run away, he had chickened out. He was not a pretty. He was a special. The only special dumb enough to want to leave, but he was a wimp. I was never sure why Tally had been such good friends with him, even in her ugly days she had been better then him.

"Zane," Dr. Cable was speaking to me after the meeting was dismissed.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I have a feeling one of our specials is not going to want to stay here." She told me. "This special has a problem with following orders, but if you find them following you… don't worry about it. They seem to do their best work when going against orders." I knew exactly who he was talking about… Tally, but I just laughed and nodded.

"I can't break her in half for disobeying orders." I joked. Yes, I was joking with Dr. Cable. It was better to be on her good side then her bad.

**Tally's POV**

"Bye," Garren kissed me and pulled his backpack on. He looked like a pretty but even then he was still more special looking.

"Bye," I replied. Him and I had been dating for a long time now and I did like him, but it wasn't very hard for me to watch him go. We had met right after he had become a special and hit it off immediately, but we had never been like Zane and I had been. Garren and I hung out all the time, went to things together, kissed etc… But I just never felt the same about him as I had about Zane. Although I would never tell Garren, or anyone else, this it was the simple truth.

I watched Garren jump on his board and leave.

"Love you babe." He called out behind him as he rode off. Now it was time for my plan to take action. There was no WAY they were going on this trip with out me.


	7. The unplanned speech

**Chapter 7**

**Tally's POV**

I didn't look anything like my "special" self once I was done getting prettified. It was weird because I looked like my old "pretty" self. I was a day behind the rest of the pretties because it took me some time to get ready, but that didn't matter because my special skills would make it fairly easy to find them. My plan was to stay a little bit behind the others so I wouldn't get caught, but if I did I would blend in because I would look pretty. Although I was sure some, who were actually specials and had known me back in my pretty days, meaning Zane, would be able to recognize me. It was night when I left and the cool air brushed against my face as I rode the hover board. I thought of Zane, the dark swirling tattoo on his face perfectly matched his ink-dyed hair. I smiled faintly and thought back to the old days when we were both pretties. Life was so simple then just being crims… well then we tried to run away to the smoke and were thrown in to the crazy world of Special Circumstance and the Specials. Why had things become so confusing? I wondered absentmindedly. The wind was becoming stronger whipping against my face but suddenly I was filled with an urge to get to Zane… I wasn't quite sure why but I just had to see him again and we had to talk. I urged the board forward and balanced myself as it sped up. These boards could go faster then any other but if they were over accelerated they would become wobbly and it would be impossible to balance. Unfortunately I was not thinking of this as I pushed it faster. I closed my eyes trying to relax. I could see Zane in my mind, his beautiful face and his perfect smile. I rode in this way for quite a while constantly speeding up just a mega bit, I was still picturing Zane's perfect face when all of the sudden his icy eyes shot into my mind. My eyes opened and in one sudden motion I was thrown from my board watching it smash in to a tree as I fell. The ground was a good thirty feet below me and the night was dark so it felt as though I was entering a dark abyss. There was a backbreaking crack and a pain hit me like a brick wall. I was extremely strong, thanks to my enhanced abilities, but this hurt like hell. I tried to move but I couldn't. I breathed in deeply and continued to attempt to pull myself to my feet. I couldn't get off my back, I couldn't even get up. I was in more pain then I had been in a long while. Usually when something like this happened I had injections to help me heal, but I had lost my backpack during the fall. After what felt like forever I heard a single pair of footsteps and something thin and cold touch my neck. There was a slight pressure and I knew I was being injected with something but wasn't sure what. I attempted to struggle but I couldn't move. Someone picked me up, there arms strong but I couldn't see anything and I realized it was because my eyes were shut. I felt myself feeling drowsy but I forced myself to open my eyes. I opened them and wasn't surprised at all by who I saw.

**Zane's POV**

Our plan was to stay a few miles behind the pretties far enough that they suspected nothing, but close enough that we could move in when we had to. We had pretty spray just incase we accidentally slipped up but I didn't think that was likely. Things became slightly more complicated when Tally showed up. I knew director Cable had informed me to allow her to come along but who did she think I was. I was the freaking strongest special and there was no way I was seriously taking ALL my orders from that woman. I had a feeling Tally would follow us but had no idea she would catch up so quickly. Fortunately it was just the specials so I was able to take her out without arousing suspicion. I injected her with a drug to knock her out and carried her to the camp we had set up three miles south of the pretties. I knew she would be out for sometime but I had to talk to her. Couldn't she get over me and move on with her life. She was a special and all she cared about was… me… yeah that sounds pretty stuck up but I am just tired of it. I know I'm good looking, I know we use to have a thing… but the truth is she needed to live her special life. I'm perfect, but ever since seeing Tally in my room I keep getting a nagging feeling, and I am not sure why. I hated the look of pity she had once given me. I couldn't stand to think of that look. I wasn't angry because I was to good at controlling my emotions, but I had a task to do. I was a special and I was ready to kill every one of the smokies so they would never be a problem again. The only problem was I really use to love her, and maybe… just maybe I still did. To be honest, I wanted to talk to her about everything.

**Tally's POV**

My head was pounding and my eyes were too heavy to open. I wasn't sure where I was and couldn't remember anything. _What happened? _I struggled to pull my eyes open when all of the sudden visions from the night before came flooding in!

_Hover boarding__, there was a crash, a lot of pain, a shot… and Zane…_ I yanked my eyes open and was blinded by the morning light. I blinked and my special body kicked in. I sat up and found that I wasn't very soar, probably due to my enhanced special healing.

"Morning." I looked to my left and saw Zane sitting on the ground with his elbows resting on his knees. He looked more normal then he had since that first night I saw him several days before. I groaned and looked away from him.

"Tally what the hell?" He shocked me when an angry whisper escaped his lips. I made a split decision, I was mad at him and I wasn't going to get lost in his perfect looks, or anything of that sort. I had a right to be mad and I wasn't going to just do what ever he said or answer all his questions.

"Tally you're not supposed to be here and what… you just want to compromise our mission?" I still didn't reply as he spoke. How my being there compromise THEIR mission? Wasn't I a special too? Wasn't it my mission as well?

"Can't you just get over me?" He asked, which really struck a nerve. I took a deep breath and attempted to control myself.

"Listen_ Zane!_" I started slowly but with the same "Tally fire" I always had. "You think, just cause you're some freaking high and mighty special, that life is all about you. Let me tell you something, I got over you a long time ago and I am just here to help with the missions. Don't let you're feelings for _me_ get in the way of the mission, got it?" I had gotten pretty loud over the course of my unplanned speech and he was just looking at me with disbelief.

"If you want to help, then help but you better not screw it up and you better do everything you're told." I scoffed as he said the last part but I nodded.

"So what was up with last night? You injected me… with what?"

"It was just a knock out drug to stop you from your incessant struggling, I know what a pain you can be." He growled in annoyance and helped me to my feet. I was a bit wobbly but it wasn't too much of a problem.

"We leave in ten minutes, I saw your board got smashed." He gave a rude laugh.

"Shay." He yelled and then my former best friend walked through the bushes.

"Tally rides with you." He said and brushed swiftly passed her. He was so different, he seemed emotionless now. He had been changed in more then just a physical way but I knew they didn't put lesions in the specials brains, so I wasn't sure why he had changed. We looked at each other and I examined her oh so familiar features. I had missed her I really had, and it was great seeing her again although I had a feeling she wasn't happy to see me.

"Tally." She said in a stern voice. I stared at her.

"Shay, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" She asked, "I'm glad they changed me. I see now I was wrong. By the way you better listen to Zane, just help with the mission and don't mess things up. You're better off with us." She said this in such a strange voice but I just continued staring at her not speaking.

Ten minutes later Shay and I hopped on a board and everyone took off.

"Shay you hate me?" I asked.

"No Tally I don't." Her tone was softer then it had been before. "But I don't need you."

"I know none of us need ANYONE." I spoke truthfully. Specials didn't need one another, but just like any other normal person we enjoyed having people around.

"I missed you though." She said staring straight ahead.

"I missed you too," was all I said in reply. I knew this wasn't meant to be some mushy make up scene where we realized how we use to be best of friends and how dumb we were to hate each other. I was just happy to know she had at least missed me… unlike some people, I looked over at Zane and he met my gaze. It was oddly softer then it had been earlier. He made me feel like he was bi polar. One second he was a total jerk, and the next second his eyes showed my something softer.


	8. Love?

**Chapter 8**

**Tally's POV**

We flew a good part of the day only taking rest in accordance to what the pretties were doing. Garren was in the group making it slightly awkward. I knew he wanted to talk to me but I knew he wouldn't and I was glad he didn't. Shay and I barely talked although occasionally she would whisper something. Each time it was something pretty random but I knew Shay wanted to be my friend again… sort of.

"Do you ever regret this?" She asked me at one point. I was surprised she had asked me this question because she had seemed so happy being special. I knew the answer I was supposed to have but some how I had a feeling Shay knew my real answer so I just spoke the truth.

"Sometimes… and I miss the way it used to be." I answered.

"Referring to Zane?" She asked. I glanced over at Garren who was apparently paying no attention to us and I replied.

"That… and you… and just all of us together." I was thinking back to the old days and I was glad Shay didn't respond and pull me from my fantasy. In many ways I would give a lot to go back to the days Zane and I were together, but I knew that would never be.

"Tonight is the night." I heard Zane announce. "They will be reaching the rusty meeting spot." I suddenly felt my heard leap. I was excited… extremely excited. I felt like I was a crim again but I was actually getting a thrill out of what we were doing.

The night fell and we flew on in the darkness following the radar we used to track pretties. The new installments to all the pretties were trackers, ones they didn't know about obviously. We stopped just a mile or so behind the party we were following, unsure of the exact time the rusties would be meeting them. We knew they were almost there and that was when things would start getting hairy. We climbed off our hover boards and walked, carrying them under our arms. As we got closer to the pretties we stashed the boards in some under brush. If we needed them we were close enough to sprint, in a matter of seconds, and get them.

"Fausto, Rane, Shay, and Ky go around left of them. Tally and Garren come with me we'll go the other way." We obeyed and did as Zane told us. We were all checking ourselves to make sure we still looked pretty. I knew this was going to be slightly… no,** extremely **awkward but hoped if I didn't speak things would turn out alright (although that's unlikely.) Zane had obviously done this on purpose because he MUST have known about Garren and me. Why in the hell would he want us to be in the same group? Was he trying to make things as uncomfortable as possible? Was he trying to punish me for coming with them? Well I wasn't going to show him how extremely uncomfortable I was.

I looked at Zane's _pretty_ face; he looked exactly like a pretty although I could see his specialness only because I knew what to look for. It was strange seeing his face pretty again and it brought flashes back to the old days. Those were the days when we had been young, stupid, and "in love."

"We basically get out there and take them down, there is more of them but we are stronger. I will ping Fausto and we'll head out." Zane made the plan sound so simple but we all knew it wouldn't be. We sat in silence and watched for a few minutes. Garren grabbed my hand which made my heart stop, not in a good way.

"I got you babe." He whispered. I wasn't exactly sure what he meant that, but I didn't like the sound of it. I looked at the back of Zane's head. I could just see the back of his perfect dark hair and I saw his jaw flexing. Why was he tense?

"Alright here we go." Zane finally spoke up. I slid through the under brush behind Zane, Garren took up the rear. I was so ready for this. My energy was totally kicking in and I could feel my tattoo flying under the pretty face makeup. I could see some of the pretties standing in a clearing up ahead. Army crawling through the brush we easily came close to the group. Our special skills made us absolutely silent even as we crawled through the bushes. I looked at Zane who was looking at Garren. They were staring at each other, eye to eye, neither gaze breaking. Really now? The moment we were going to catch the pretties and take down the smokies was the second Zane and Garren had decided to have a stare down… perfect.

"Are we ready?" Fausto was pinging every one. Zane's gaze didn't shift.

"Let's go." He pings back to all of us. Garren obviously knows he has to break gaze so they can set out on the mission, and he knows if he doesn't then Zane can report him for a serious of "disobedient" rule breakings. Both of their pride keeps them from looking away. Suddenly I feel the shouts of the fight beginning Garren looks away first and the three of us take off running. I look at Zane as we sprint to join the fight and I see a smirk on his lips. His damn pride always seemed to get to him.

The next few minutes was a flurry of fighting. We ran out taking down the nearest pretties and binding them as quickly as we could. The rusties, unknown to us, were quite prepared. They had these special updated tazors the city had just recently come out with, and about 15 more rusties had apparently been hiding from our view. How they got the latest city technology, I had no idea, but I did know that they had it and it made them more dangerous. I grab a rusty forcing them to the ground and wrapping a binding around their wrist. They struggled but apparently had no weapons so it made it easy. We were covered in masks to hide our faces even though we looked pretty. Just as I finished binding that one another rusty came towards me. I swung my elbow and it connected with the rusties face. I knew that HAD to hurt. Pushing them down I looked at who it was and found myself shocked to see David's eyes staring up at me. I staggered backward but tried to focus. This is my job this is my mission. I said to myself. I saw flashes of our past shoot before my eyes. Meeting him, working in the woods, talking with his parents I could see it all. Breath caught in my throat and I shook the visions from my sight. He had jumped up but I lunged for him again. Suddenly a pain shot through me like a current of electricity. I tried to shake it away but it wouldn't leave. My vision became hazy and the world around me spun. _I'm a special_ I reminded myself _I can take this_. I tried to shake the pain again but it only increased. I attempted to bind my hands so I would appear as though I was a pretty that was captured. It was hard and I could feel the shocks still flowing through my body, I was shaking violently. I fell, slamming against the ground. Blood and bile rose in my throat. I could taste the iron taste in my mouth. _How can I be so weak_? I was angry with myself. Colors poured over one another and blended together. I attempted to get up but something was pulling me down. More electric currents were flying through me, they used these in our training or when they were trying to take a special out.

**~...~**

For the second time in a day and a half I had been knocked out and woken up feeling groggy and disoriented.

"Who… who were those people?" I heard someone say and immediately knew the voice. I'd never heard him sound so scared in my life. He sounded like a gross little new pretty, but I knew it was all an act. Zane had always been a good actor.

"Specials, from Special circumstances." Another voice said and my heart literally stopped. Was I really hearing who I thought I was hearing?

"What did you do to her?" Zane stuttered. I was pretty sure he was talking about me. He must've been putting on a hell of a show.

"Nothing at all just knocked her out." The other person replied. "You are friends with her, yes?" David… it was definitely David. How much more awkward could my life get. I had no idea where Garren was, and here I was lying "unconscious" with Zane pretending to be a pretty and talking with David.

"Y… yeah. We have been together forever. We planned to marry.' Zane's voice sounded mischievous. What the hell was he doing?

"I see, well then we know she was not involved in last night's raid?" David asked. He was obviously EXTREMELY unsure… he must have known it was me. How could he not? Although I did look very different.

"There is no possible way she could've been. Why would you think that?" Zane replied. "Back in pretty town we were always together." He sounded as if he was about to cry.

"So she wasn't working for anyone?" asked a different, older voice. David's dad possibly?

"No, I would've known! She is my best friend, why would you think she was working for someone?" Zane shook. Why was he protecting me like this? I wondered. I groaned and opened my eyes pretending that I was just waking up.

"You ok?" Zane knelt by my side and I groaned.

"She will be fine." A man stood to my left. I wish I hadn't recognized him but unfortunately I knew exactly who he was.

"Where am I?" I tried to seem confused although I knew exactly where I was.

"You are here in the rusty camp." David said.

"Mmm… we made it?" I looked at Zane with a smile assuring him I had heard what they had said.

"Yeah Kaylee we did." Zane said and I assumed that was my 'undercover' name. I felt really awkward I mean there I was looking at two of my former 'boyfriends.' I could only pray David didn't realize anything yet. He probably didn't know we had pretty mask technology.

"Alright Kaylee, Isaac why don't you follow me to where the rest of the group is. I guess some of them are yours and you can confirm them." I was shocked when David said this cause that meant that Zane hadn't checked to make sure anyone else was safe. He had gone undercover and stayed with me… maybe I was just thinking to much in to this, but that was very unZane. I struggled to my feet with the help of Zane and found that I couldn't step on my foot without a shooting pain piercing through me. What was happening to me? I must've seriously been hurt last night. I was a special and shouldn't be that easily hurt.

"You possibly broke your ankle I will have my mother look at it." The prospect of seeing Maddy was too much for me.

"No! I will be fine." I pulled myself up and leaned on Zane. It felt good being close to him. Despite the awkwardness I loved being with him, and I was glad he was at my side now. He wrapped his arm around my back and I put more weight on him. I could feel my tattoo speed up and I began taking deep breaths to calm myself down.

**~…~**

"This is Kaylee and Isaac." David said to the group of rusties. A few of the specials group and some real pretties were sitting around by a fire that was blazing. I recognized several of the rusties faces but many others were new. Several were pretty faces that had disappeared months before and we hadn't gotten before they made it to the rusties.

"Nice to meet you I'm Brick." Said one of the pretties from months before. I vaguely recognized him. He had dark red hair and like all pretties, a perfect complexion.

"So you had no idea about the specials following you guys?" David asked. As usual he seemed somewhat of the leader.

"No we didn't." Said Garren.

"Well that means the ones that got away will be coming sometime soon with reinforcement so we better start packing up."

"How often do you guys move?" I asked trying to pretend and be exhausted from the journey. In reality I was tired especially because I was hurt but I was far from exhausted.

"Not often, only when we really think we need to. Maybe once a month." That gave me some insight. We would be pinging HQ soon. I sat down on a log next to Rane and began warming my hands. I could feel several eyes on me and began shaking trying to put on a show. I had to appear weak and helpless. I feared David would figure it out.

~…~

The next day passed quickly I stayed fairly quiet because I hadn't had a chance to talk to Zane and wasn't sure what the cover story was, although I noticed (as did Garren) that he stayed awfully close to me through out the day. I had no idea this would be so intricate. I had been given crutches that had been fashioned out of some kind of wood and we had begun a journey towards who knows where. We were following David and I had seen Maddy off in the distance walking with her son. Flashes of my rusty days rose before my eyes as we walked. The old hand made sweaters, the smoky tasting food, and long endless journeys. Nothing had changed.

As the day came to an end and night fell I had the perfect opportunity to talk to Zane.

"So what's the story?" I asked as him and I moved farther out from the group settling down for the night. Like several other couples who had gone out for privacy Zane had said our goodnights and helped me a little ways down a hill to a nice camping spot where we hung up our cloth tent.

"Well as it has become obvious _Tally_ we are together." He whispered yet spoke with a rude and contemptuous voice, very unlike how he spoke in front of other people.

"But why?" I asked.

"Because we need them to believe that we all are just simple pretties full of love and happiness but wanting to get away from new pretty town. We are still naïve in there minds." He made his voice sound like this was all so obvious, but I still had many questions.

"So _Zane_" I said his name with the same contempt he used for mine, "why did you choose me?"

He paused after this question.

"I ended up near you and when I saw they believed you were a special I had to jump in and change their minds."

I nearly laughed at this answer but held it back.

"That _David _of yours is rather smart."

Ah how I hate that he acted like I still had feelings for David. David was my enemy.

"He is not _my_ David but yes he is smart and that is the thing that may hinder us."

We sat in silence for several minutes.

"Answer me one question?" I looked at him. I was so glad to be near him, but in many ways I wanted to get as far away from there as possible.

He paused and then spoke "Alright if you answer my one question, but let me hear yours first."

"Why are you acting like this? Did I do something so horrible to you that it makes you hate me? You remember we were once in love, and I presume you remember that I stood there and watched you 'die'?" I winced as I used the word 'love.'

He scoffed at this, but answered.

"That is more then one question… but I will answer them. First I do remember we were once 'in love' and the fact that you watched me die without a single tear shows how honestly 'in love' you were with me."

"Is that all?" I asked.

"No that's not all." His voice rose. "When I was sick I remember the way you looked at me. You were strong and perfect and I knew you secretly found me disgusting in my sick weakly state. So when you watched me die with out tears in your eyes in confirmed exactly what I thought. Your love for me had ended along with my life. When I was gone you began to forget me." I absolutely couldn't believe what he was saying. "What is that old saying? Out of sight out of mind? That's exactly what happened with me. You thought I was dead and you quickly forgot me and moved on with your life. You're perfectly happy with your Garren kid. So, I am sorry I am helping out one of my people. We are in this situation because I wasn't about to let one of my specials be killed. So we will get through this and move on with our lives and you can get back to your little boyfriend."

I sat staring at him in disbelief was he that naive.

"What is your question?" I said weakly attempting to keep my voice steady. I felt like an ugly all over again. I was feeling weak, exposed, and well, just… ugly.

"Did you ever really love me Tally? Even during our time together why did you stay with me? I knew what you thought of me during my sickness but why did you stay with me? Was it out of pity? I just need my thoughts confirmed. I want the truth." His voice still sounded strong, unlike mine, and I had no idea how to respond.

"The truth?" I asked trying to keep my voice down, although that was nearly impossible. I didn't want to risk us being heard so I paused for several moments and took a deep breath before speaking. "You want the truth?" I whispered, he nodded. "You Zane, you can't handle the truth! You won't believe it so what is the point in trying to explain it?"

He looked at me, a smirk turning his lip up and it made my blood boil.

"Zane I loved you every second I was with you. I loved you as you were sick, I loved you when you were dying, I even loved you as I watched you on your _deathbed_. Despite my anger towards you after your _supposed_ death I still loved you with all my heart. I was angry after you died because I felt as though I was left there alone and even though I was the strongest person in the city I felt like an ugly again. Exactly how I feel now. I feel ugly again Zane. I felt as though I was allowed to have everything I wanted except one thing... and that is you. The only thing I really wanted was you, but I couldn't have it. I tried to move on and I denied Garren's many attempts to ask me out. Finally I realized if I continued to deny him someone would realize my weakness and see that I still loved you. I don't love him, I care about him but I have no love for him. In my mind he is like a silly pretty looking for fun, and I was that fun. You are so much more to me then that." I stopped shocked at the whole speech I had just given. I had basically poured out every one of my feelings to him and I was empty of words and thought. He didn't say anything nor did I until all of the sudden he kissed me. It was like that first day in the garden as we ate breakfast. I was feeling icy. As a special you are suppose to feel icy all the time but when Zane kissed me at that moment I felt better then ever. The world became clear and I kissed him back. I knew that the confusing feelings would come later, but for now I would enjoy this moment. I wanted to cry and laugh and sing all at the same time. Okay, wow to much emotion! I tried to calm myself down but it was impossible. The plain truth was, I loved him and always would.


	9. Take them down

**Chapter 9**

Tally's POV

Sleeping had not even been possible that night. After Zane and I kissed, I sat outside in the chilly night air just thinking. I couldn't walk because of my nearly broken ankle so I sat. Fortunately my special skills had set in and I was healing quickly but not quick enough, it still hurt like hell. I couldn't remember quite what happened but I set to massaging it and attempting to distract myself… that was impossible. The entire night I sat my head swimming. Finally, around three in the morning I laid down for rest and found myself waking with the sunrise. The sleep had been restless and filled with dreams. I was exhausted and wished I could continue sleeping… but it was impossible. The few hours of rest had healed my ankle nearly to perfection, but it left my thoughts to swarm with Zane instead of focusing on the intense pain that was now gone.

"Morning." Zane surprised me by stepping out from under the 'tent' at the crack of dawn.

"Uh, morning." I lightly smiled it wasn't exactly forced but it didn't come easily. I had expected talking to him would be awkward.

"How does your ankle feel?" He asked kneeling beside it and applying pressure. I winced slightly but barely felt the pain.

"How did this happen to me?" I asked straining to remember, and trying to ignore the perfect golden eyes that now looked at me.

"They are much stronger then we expected. They have a lot of special weapons. We weren't expecting it."

"If I remember anything I know they get up early. If we are already up they may wonder why… pretties are use to sleeping late." I reminded him. Thank God I had remembered this; I knew anything slightly out of the ordinary would be extremely suspicious. He nodded in agreement and headed toward the tent. I followed and I lay down beside him on the bedding that was still warm from his body heat. They thought we were "together" so they had only given us one tent. I wasn't sure if I was thankful or upset about this. Closing my eyes I began breathing quietly and I listened. I could hear his attempt to breath heavy as though he was sleeping and I tried to mimic it. It was so odd lying next to him again. It felt so familiar yet so oddly unknown. I felt as he rolled his body on to his stomach and our skin touched. What felt like hours passed before I finally heard the crunching of footsteps outside the tent. I kept my breath steady and leaned in towards Zane. He slung an arm over my body, it was heavy and warm. For a moment I felt like nothing between us had changed.

"We are leaving in 20 minutes better get up for breakfast." I heard a voice yell to us I I pretended to groan and didn't move. The steps came closer and peeked in to the tent. I sat up and rubbed my "sleepy eyes" shocked to find Croy standing there.

"Mmm, ok we'll be right up."

"— Isaac it's time to get up dear." I leaned back in the tent and spoke to him loud enough to be heard and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Hmmm?" Zane sat up pulling it off perfectly.

"Morning already?" He asked with a smile.

"Be careful." Zane said once Croy was gone. He had notice my pause before speaking to him and he also knew I had been close to slipping up and calling him Zane.

"I know I know. When are we calling in.?"

Zane hesitated before answering, "Soon."

Why had he hesitated?

~…~

"Hey Issac." Garren walked up to us. I was leaning on Zane as we walked up a hill. My heart sped up and I got slightly nervous but tried to conceal it. Garren better not try to get all high and mighty on Zane. I wasn't in the mood to deal with these two at the moment and right now, as horrible as this sounds, I was completely content leaning on Zane. If Garren tried anything Zane wouldn't hesitate to stop him. Did Garren have any idea how powerful Zane is?

"Hey Terry what's up?" Zane said the name easily as if he had been saying it all his life. I hated all the fake name crap.

"How are you _guys _doing?" Garren didn't hide his annoyance and I could tell that ticked Zane off… it was strange, all of the sudden I felt myself reading Zane's emotions and playing off his feelings like I did in the old days. I loved this, but at the same time I hated it because I knew it would end

"Perfectly fine, how are you dear?" He looked at me. Crap I knew that piss Garren off. The thing about my boy friend was that he was slightly possessive over me, even when it came to things like being undercover, Garren just wouldn't stop.

"Um, I will be fine." I replied thinking things would be much better once Garren left.

"Here, why don't I give you a little rest and help… _her_… out?" His brow was furrowing and he moved to take me in his arms.

"No it's perfectly fine." Zane replied. "I'd rather stay by her side."

"Seriously man, we have a long journey let me help you out."

"No!" I jumped in. "I'd rather stay with my... Isaac." I told him. Garren's jaw tightened and his expression glazed over. He turned and walked away allowing me to let out the breath I had been holding. Zane didn't speak but I felt his muscles tense up and I could feel the definition under his shirt. I wanted to scream at Garren… for some reason I wasn't wanting to scream at Zane but I was so angry at Garren.

Tally's POV

I woke up people running all over the place. I struggled to my feet and found that Zane was gone.

"What's going on?" I asked someone.

"They are here!"

I knew what that meant… the specials. More from HQ had come and that meant it was time to… take them down? I was really confused that was my job right? I had come here to take them down. This really felt like deja vou. I took off towards who knows where, I wasn't really sure, and found myself heading towards the special copter. My ankle was killing me.

"Tally!" I heard someone from the copter yell. It was Garren. I almost turned and ran the other way, but I didn't. I continued towards the machine and he helped me in. I looked around,

"Where's Zane?"

"Who cares he'll be fine."

"Did he call them?" I asked. Garren was silent. I didn't think Zane was going to call them this soon. I thought we were going to take our time, and ease in to things. I knew we couldn't _waste _time, but in all honesty I was not ready to go back.

"Garren! Did he call them?" I knew the answer to my question already. Why was he making me so angry.

"No I did." Garren replied simply. "You know, as well as I, that they needed to be called, and frankly I was tired of _him_ always at your side." Unfortunately I couldn't argue we were together and if he had any idea of how I had been feeling for Zane lately…or of the kiss.

"Let's take a look at that ankle." I was hustled out of the copter before it had even taken off and quickly taken in to a hover car.

"The rest of the specials are rounding up the rusties." Someone said, as I was set inside the hovercraft. Someone began prodding around at my ankle and the pain was making me dizzy. They were rebraking it because it had healed wrong. The probably with special healing is, if it doesn't heal right it has to heal again. I watched the blur of people as they run by rusties running into the woods or being stuffed into copters and hover cars. I didn't even care as I watched some run into the woods, I personally didn't care if they got away but I had a feeling not many would.

"Does this hurt?" I looked down at my ankle and was grossed out to find them under my skin basically performing an operation.

"Uh… NO!" I was special remember nothing was suppose to hurt me (YEAH RIGHT IT HURT LIKE HELL!) Garren, who was sitting next to me, grabbed my hand.

"We're taking off." Someone yelled from in front of the craft. I looked around once more seeing if I could find Zane, and then suddenly I found myself looking for David and his parents, Croy, and the rest of them. We began lifting into the air and I almost became frantic. Why was I freaking out so much? Everything would be fine and everyone would make it back safe. Suddenly, I felt a thud and the hover car dipped down grazing the ground. Zane swung his body into the machine and smiled.

"Wow," I saw him watch as they slipped a screw into me. I felt like some kind of machine UGH!

"What's going on down there?" I nearly forgot my REAL boyfriend was sitting next to me as I stared into Zane's eyes.

"They are getting taken in." He answered, and I could hint a tone of annoyance, but it was masked by his grin.

"Yeah thanks to me." Garren had a cocky smile and pulled me closer to him.

"Yeah, right… good job." I told him softly. The ride was spent in silence. I worked on not wincing as the fixed me up and by the end of the trip I was sown up with a huge scar on my ankle.

"We will fake skin spray this so the scar is covered." They reassured me. "I am sure you wouldn't want to damage your special complexion.

"No," I said icily and they obeyed.

"Whatever you say, but we would advice you to spray it." The doctor told me.

"I want the scar… at least for now."

"That's Tally for you." Zane laughed and Garren wrapped his arms tighter around my body. I rolled my eyes.

We touched down on the ground and were soon followed by craft after craft and copter after copter. This was absolutely insane, had we really taken down the entire smoke? The smokies were here, in this city, and I had one question. Would they be turned pretty? Then suddenly I felt my heart stop as I thought popped in to my mind… where was David, would he be turned pretty?


End file.
